


May the odds be ever in your favour

by Dnylovee



Series: Nomin Hunger Games [1]
Category: NCT (Band), NCT Dream
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, Hunger Games AU, M/M, More ships added later, more characters added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-19 01:25:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19346725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dnylovee/pseuds/Dnylovee
Summary: Na Jaemin has just taken his brothers place as tribute in the annual hunger games. His plan is just to stay alive and return to Jisung. However when he is introduced to Lee Jeno, from district 2 things might get a little more complicated.---I suck at summerys oof





	1. The reaping

"Welcome to the 74th annual reaping for the national Hunger Games. Today one boy and one girl with have the honour of representing district 12 in this year's games!"  
Getting thrown into an arena to kill 23 other teenagers is honour to the people in the capital I guess.  
The women stands above the crowd watching us file in, she is dressed head to toe in an outlandish purple dress with matching hat, a strong contrast to the dull colours that seem to forever set the depressing mood in district 12.  
"Name Please?" The women sitting at the table in front of asks in a monotone voice.  
"Na Jaemin." I answer. The people around me shuffle to the other tables to state their own names to monotone voiced people. Among the crowd my younger brother, Jisung. I never really thought much of the reaping until this year. Now the name of my whole world is written on a slip of paper in that bowl. My world is Jisung and has been since my parents both died, my dad perished in the mines and my mother died from a sickness caused by the layer of coal soot that seems to cover the whole district. No matter how hard you scrub the floors there's always the lingering black haze from the product that puts food on our table. I've worked for the mines since I was 11, mostly cleaning the the buildings of the company, where meetings take place. Apparently they care about appearances and making it look like over 3 quarters of this place isn't starving. I, myself have to rely on illegally hunting wild game in the woods just behind my house.   
"Sir are you listening?" The women's voice is raised in annoyance. I whip my head out of my thoughts and realise she is just about to poke my fingers so my blood can be collected. Don't want any imposters do we.  
"Yeah, go ahead." I reply. Having done this process 4, now 5 times, I'm used to it.  
I look over to Jisung and make a pretend scared face as the needle is stuck in my finger. His face of worry changes into a smile for an instant. Anything to make him less nervous is a win in my book. At 12 years old he can barely tuck in his shirt all the way around so the idea of him even being at risk for being picked makes me want to throw up.  
"Jaemin!" I hear a familiar voice call, I turn to see the face of Kim Jungwoo running towards me. His own sister had been chosen at the reaping when she was 14. She didn't even make it out of the initial bloodbath at the cornucopia.  
They never do, everyone knows that if you are from one of the poorer districts you are basically just thrown into the arena to give the capital people a show when you die.   
"How's Jisung?" He asks.  
"As good as you can be, his name is only in there once." I reply, reminding me how my own name is in there 15 times.  
Jungwoo is the only person I consider a friend. We live next to one another and he makes sure to keep an eye on Jisung in school. I had dropped out after my parents died and hadn't finished the 6th grade. Most of my knowledge is in hunting and preparing the hunted animals. I'm quite skilled in archery and know how to skin the animal so I can get the best price on the underground market. Still it's never enough, there's never enough food. Everyone in 12 has sunken in eyes, hollow cheekbones frame their face, even the mayors family looks like they could use some more food.  
"Well that's good," Jungwoo says, "it's you I'm more worried about."  
Jungwoo cares too much about me I feel bad. He convinced his mother to take care of me when I got sick 2 years ago. He even offered to take in Jisung and me, but I refused, the last thing his family needs is another 2 mouths to feed.   
"I'll be fine, how about we hang out after the reaping, I need to go to my brother?"   
"Okay." Jungwoo says, a smile appearing on his face. He turns to head into the crowd of other nervous children.  
I run to Jisung and grab his hand. He's wearing a white button down with slightly too-big trousers and under his collar, a silver chain holding a pendant of a mockingjay could be seen. It was my mother's before she died and he never leaves the house without it.   
We settle into a place in the crowd, surrounded by other teenage boys, some tapping their feet, others appearing like this is just a chore, a young boy beside me looks like he is about to cry.  
One of us will be sentenced to death in-front of millions today. The crime we are guilty of? Being born in a district that rebelled against the capital over 74 years ago. As if starving isn't enough we also have to watch children that we know be mercilessly slaughtered on national television. These children may have been in our classes, our neighbours or our cousins. A young life cut short because the capital is bored, they watch and gasp at the twist and turns. They laugh when someone makes a fatal mistake, they laugh without worry as their own kids are sitting right beside them.  
I hadn't even noticed the women upfront had started her yearly dumb speech. Blah blah blah, an honour, blah blah blah, we are going to win this year she has a feeling.  
She says that every year. We haven't won since the 57th. Our only remaining victor, Johnny, sits behind her, probably hungover. It didn't take long to realise that the reason why his district 12 exclusive tv show got canceled was due to him being a massive drunk.  
"And may the odds be ever in your favour!" She ends her speech with that god awful line that everyone seems to love.  
"And now for the girls" she says, making her way over to the big glass bowl. She swirls her hand around for a moment before finally settling on a slip of paper. She runs to the microphone and unfolds it, smiles and says in a cheery voice,   
"Primrose Everdeen!"   
Everyone turns to the 12 year old girl. I, myself know her as the girl who's whole family died in a house fire a few years ago. Mother, Father and Sister all gone in an instant. I feel bad seeing her tears run down her face as the peacekeepers escort her to the main stage. Before I can spend too much longer feeling sad the tackily dressed women grabs another slip, this time from the bowl labeled "boys".   
She unfolds the paper right in front of the microphone, the crinkling of paper echoing through the packed district square. She smiles again and reads the name.  
"Jisung Na!" She says.  
I don't even feel myself falling but a boy behind me grabs me before I hit the ground.  
"Are you ok?" He asks.  
I'm not okay. I see the peacekeepers come and grab Jisung's arm. My brothers arm. They start dragging him up to the stage, his old shoes causing riffs in the dirt walkway. This can't be happening, his name was only in that god awful bowl once. I can't let this happen.   
Before I can even think it through, I'm running to the centre walkway, people trying to grab me as I go.  
"Jisung wait!" I scream just as two peacekeepers grab my shoulders roughly.  
"You can't take him, he's all I have," I beg, "please let him go."  
I give one push to the peacekeepers to get them off me, then I muster all the strength I have in my body and I try not to stutter as I say,  
"I volunteer as tribute."  
The whole place is silent for a second before Jisungs screams pierce the air. He runs to me and grabs my waist, crying into my freshly ironed shirt.  
"You can't go," he pleads.  
"Jisung you need to go back to crowd, everything is going to be okay," I say, trying to pry the crying boy off my waist. I can't bear to look at him and instead focusing my vision up at the stage ahead.  
"No," he cry's into my body. A peacekeeper try's to snatch him away and I snap.  
"Don't you dare touch him." I yell at the man dressed in all white.  
I bend down to eye level and start to stroke his cheek.  
"Please don't cry, I'll be back home before you know it." I try to assure him.  
I see Jungwoo running down the aisle, tears running down his face. He grabs Jisung and carries him over his shoulder, my brother begging him to put him down.  
I turn to the front and continue my walk to the stage. My senses blend together as my vision blurs and my ears start to ring. I slowly walk up the steps, counting each one as I go. There's 8. 8 steps put me above the crowd of people who I've know all my life.   
"What's your name son?" The pale women asks, "don't be nervous."  
"Jaemin Na." I'm shaking as I say my name into the microphone.  
"Wow I bet that was your brother!" She says, her eyes lighting up, "anything else you wish to say?" She motions the microphone towards me again.  
I don't know what takes over me but I look the camera straight in the lens before saying,  
"Get that microphone out of my face."  
The lady pulls it back in surprise and horror before turning to the crowd and introducing us as the tributes from district 12.   
Before I can finish processing my name being said as the name of a tribute, I am grabbed by the arm and lead into the town hall, the heavy doors which have a wood carving of miners walking out of the mines slamming in my face and the light of day completely leaving my vision.


	2. the goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m low key such a bad writer I’m sorry but NOMIN IS BLONDE

*tap tap*  
My fingers tap on the cherrywood table I was sat at by the purple dressed women.  
"Just sit here until you're family and friends come!" She says in a vomit inducing voice.   
The tapping of my fingers echo around the empty room along with the sound of a single clock ticking on the wall and the slightest buzz of the camera set up to capture "the moment" and broadcast it to the nation of Panem. My eyes scan between the tops of my hands and the clock. Once someone walks through that door I will have a mere 5 minutes to meet with them before they will be rushed out of the room. The door swings open and the figure of Jungwoo fills the doorway. He runs up and grabs me in a hug, his hands on my back add to the suffocating feeling currently filling my chest.   
"Promise me you will take care of Jisung." I manage to choke out of my enclosed lungs.  
He pulls back after hearing what I said, his eyes have a glossy coating, "Don't say that, you're going to be back before you know it." He assures me.  
A sudden feeling of anger fills my head, doesn't he understand; I'm not coming home. I'm never returning to my home, in 5 minutes I will have to say goodbye to Jisung. I'm about to snap at him but his face shows that he is lying to himself. Perhaps his family said the same to his sister before her own games.  
"You're strong," he continues, "a fighter. You can hunt well and have one hell of an attitude to match."  
Before he can continue a peacekeeper dressed in white enters the room to signal that his time is up. When Jungwoo doesn't turn around to leave the large man grabs him and starts to pull him out of the room.   
"Don't let them win Jaemin." He screams.  
A small "ok" was all I could say before the door is shut in my face. Once again returning my wandering mind to the sound of the clock and the buzz of the camera. I sit down and start to add my fingers back to the orchestra of sounds I wish to end.  
The door swings open once again, a group of white-uniformed peacekeepers create a wall in front of my brother. His face has red streaks down his cheeks, still chubby with baby fat, from crying. His eyes are puffy and his hair tasseled. His button down now fully untucked, further adding to his disheveled look.  
My heart is aching looking at him, how can I look him in the face and tell him not to cry when all I want to do is break down and let the tears fall down my face.  
"Come here Jisung," I say, my usually confident voice is now small and unstable.  
I take Jisungs head and places it in my chest, gently stroking his hair.  
"I promised mom I would take care of you," I begin "and I don't intend on breaking that promise anytime soon. Jungwoo is going to watch you while I'm away." I can't stand to say where I really will be. "Once I get back we are just going to pretend this never happened. Make sure you keep up your grades and don't spend too much time caring for that stupid cat of yours." I try to crack a small joke at the end. It lingers in the air for a few seconds before my brother breaks down again.   
"I don't know why you're crying I'm only going to be gone for a little bit." I can no longer conceal my heart breaking and I let the tears I've been holding all morning fall down my face. The sobs of my brother and I fill the empty room. The door swings open again, a peacekeeper there to take my brother away from me forever. Jisung unclasps the chain around his neck and hands the dainty necklace that was my mother's to me. I am repeating I love you's as the peacekeepers drag my world away, closing the doors and leaving his tear stained face burning in my mind.

"Ok tributes, welcome to the train that will transport you to the captial! I am your district representative, Effie, it is my job to make sure you are everywhere you need to be! This is Johnny, he will be your mentor. Having won the games himself, he knows what it takes to be a victor." The women in purple, now I know as Effie says in her signature awful high pitched voice. Johnny silently laughs as he is introduced. How many kids have gotten this same speech, I think to myself. I didn't even notice I begun to bite my nails until Effie's pale hand swats my own worn hand out of my face.  
"Don't do that darling you're on camera." She says, a hint of annoyance in her voice.  
Primrose and I sit down on the large couch to watch the recap the readings from around my district. YangYang, the darling MC of the captial appears on the screen, his hair polished and his suit perfectly tailored. He states his usual speech, how he is excited to watch this year's games and how he feels like this year will be better than others.  
The tributes start to appear on the screen along with a clip of their name being read and maybe a small clip of them saying goodbye.   
From district 1 a girl and boy, both appear on the screen. Mark Lee and Glimmer Jones both are shown as volunteering, their faces triumphant as they are selected as their districts tributes. Mark has an aura of confidence as he stands on the stage. His family congratulating him as they meet him in the room backstage.  
District 2 has the same boring girl volunteer like every year, however the boy tribute sticks out in my mind. He doesn't radiate the cockiness that usually comes hand in hand with the tributes from the rich districts. The kids who have been training all their lives for the games. His voice is strong and confident as he says his name, Lee Jeno, into the microphone but I can see him tapping his fingers behind his back as he stands on the stage. He gives a smile to the camera, his eyes become crescents when he does. YangYang comments on how that smile is sure to win over the heart of the capital.  
District 3 shows two more volunteers however their male tribute, Lee Donghyuck, gives a wink to the camera and flashes a smile.  
"Another year folks where all 6 tributes from these districts are volunteers!" YangYang reports.  
Not much else stands out to me about the other districts tributes. From each district except the top 3 nervous kids on the verge of tears are displayed on the television. Some are on the verge of tears, others are shaking and a small hand few are just staring ahead in shock. The families of the kids selected are shown. Mothers having to be supported by other women around them, fathers with heads in their hands and siblings crying out in shock. From district 11 a boy who looks around Jisung's age cried all the way to the stage. His small frame being grabbed so harshly by the peacekeepers it caused him to put a look of discomfort in his face.   
Finally they show clips from district 12 reaping. Primrose stiffens up as she sees her name being read aloud. A tear falls down her cheek as she seems to relive the moment her whole life changed. Then it cuts to YangYang.  
"This morning district 12 saw its first ever volunteer! Na Jaemin took the place of this younger brother, Jisung, in this year's games."  
It cuts to me volunteering and Jisung running to me and having to be carried away. Me trying not to cry is being broadcasted all over the nation. I see they include me swatting away the microphone and telling them to get out of my face. Johnny scoffs behind me,  
"Good luck getting sponsors now genius."  
"Shut up," I'm quick to snap back, rage filling my head. I don't need any of the capitals pity, it's their fault I'm here in the first place. "I'm going to make it without any of their 'I feel bad I'm making you kill your friends so here's a loaf of bread." My voice comes out sharp and demanding. Johnny is quick to his feet, grabbing the collar of my shirt and lifting me above the ground by it.  
"People like you are always the first to go," he begins "you think you're too good for any of this. Guess what kid, the capital is not going to let you win if they don't like you so I suggest you get on their good side." He let's go of my collar and I slightly start to fall as my feet touch the ground again. I decide I'm not going to let him see me cry again and I storm out of shared room into one of my own.   
It doesn't take long before Effie appears in the doorway. She crosses the room to where I am sitting, watching the country past me by.   
"He's right you know. The capital is an important person to have you liked by." She says and starts to stroke my back, "However, they love seeing a family reunion. They are invested in you and Jisung now, they want to see you succeed. I suggest we play up that dynamic, it would only help you."  
"I don't need to "play up" that dynamic, Jisung is the only person I care about."  
"Then it will be even easier to get them to love you" she says and leaves the room. I turn my attention back to the large window. We are speeding away from the only home I ever knew, the night sky makes my reflection on the glass clear. I am not a hunger games tribute, I cannot kill anyone. I am just a boy with slightly messy hair, too hollow cheekbones and eyes that show every single tear I've ever cried. The last lights of the border of district 12 are now just barely visible. I stand up, turn to my bed and collapse, taking out the necklace that means so much to my brother I examine it. The pendant reflects the moonlight, it looks out of place in my worn hands.  
"What am I going to do mom." I say out load before another steam of tears start to fall down my face once again.


End file.
